


The Edge of Glory

by Bubblelina15



Series: The Edge of Glory [1]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, Hook-Up, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23771677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubblelina15/pseuds/Bubblelina15
Summary: Ricky and Nini are dragged to a party by their two best friends.  Despite being typically introverted, they find they have a connection and go for one another emboldened by liquid courage.
Relationships: Big Red/Ashlyn Caswell, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: The Edge of Glory [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712509
Kudos: 54





	1. there ain't no reason

**Author's Note:**

> **inspired by Olivia Rodrigo's cover of The Edge of Glory. I do not claim any of the lyrics used in the following work.

_**i.** there ain't no reason you and me should be alone _

_ tonight, yeah baby, tonight, yeah baby _

**Her:**

Nini downed two shots and stared out into the expanse of people at the party. Kourtney had burst into their dorm earlier that day, begging for her to come out that night. “C’mon, Nini! You just turned twenty-one, and you’re acting like you just turned sixty. Let’s have some fun, please, please!”

After reluctantly agreeing, Nini found herself getting an extensive makeover from Kourt, finished off with an outfit her best friend pulled from her closet. Nini fidgeted in it now, pulling down the short and tight skirt of her red bodycon dress.

“You moving like that just means you haven’t drank enough,” Kourtney handed Nini a drink, which she took gratefully.

Nini took a large drink of the liquor, feeling the warmth running through her body.

“Okay, Nini, I got some mingling to do.” Kourtney waved and winked at the boy she had a crush on from across the room. “You good?”

“Yeah, fine.” Nini winced, hearing the unconfidence in her voice.

Kourtney rolled her eyes, and threw her arm around her best friend’s shoulder, “Nini. I appreciate you for not wanting to be here, but coming anyway because you love me. But, I want you to have fun, too, okay?” Kourtney scoped around the room, “Go talk to  _ him _ . He looks like he needs some fun, too.” She pushed Nini towards a good-looking, curly-headed boy, nursing his own drink on the couch. He was sitting alone, and glancing down at his phone, almost looking as out of place as she was.

Nini gulped down the rest of her drink, plastered a smile on her face, and gave a wave goodbye to Kourtney.

She sat down next to him, “Hi, I’m Nini.” She shot her hand out.

**Him:**

Ricky did  _ not  _ want to be here right now. Big Red had dragged him out to a party because he wanted to hang out with his new girlfriend and didn’t want his best friend to feel  _ alone _ and  _ sad _ . And, even though Ricky had insisted he was fine, there he was, sitting alone at the party waiting for it to be a sufficient amount of time to excuse himself and leave.

He glanced behind him through the glass doors of the deck and found his best friend’s tongue down his new girlfriend’s throat and he groaned and rolled his eyes. Red probably wouldn’t notice at this point if he got up and left, but he knew Red would figure out tomorrow that he left almost immediately and would never let him live it down. He would probably annoy him to come to every party till the end of the year. So, Ricky figured he would at least try to stick it through this one.

He was checking his phone again, looking at the time, and took another swig of his drink when he felt someone sit down beside him.

“Hi, I’m Nini,” he looked down at the hand in front of him, and for a moment all he could see was the long legs underneath the hand, peeking out from under a red skirt. He let his eyes roam up, his cheeks turning red, until he looked into the face of one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen.

“Hi,” he choked out, and started coughing.

Suddenly, he felt hands fly to his back, patting, “You, okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Sorry about that,” Ricky’s breath returned to normal, and he glanced at the now bewildered looking girl.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just-”

“You’re good,” Ricky interrupted, smiling at her, “I’m Ricky.”

She smiled back, “Nice to meet you.”


	2. you should take me home tonight

_**ii.** But I got a reason that you should take me home tonight _

**Her:**

Despite their awkward initial meeting, Nini and Ricky had dissolved into easy conversation. She had almost forgotten that she hadn’t wanted to be there in the first place. The two had gotten up to refill their drinks, and were now talking quietly on a picnic table outside.

Nini snorted at Ricky’s recounting of how he ended up at the party that night, because it sounded so similar to hers.

“What?” he stopped mid-sentence, to look at the girl laughing.

“We’re just one and the same.” Nini took another sip of her drink. “Kourtney dragged me out here, saying I haven’t had any fun since I turned twenty-one. That was her being nice, what she really meant was that I haven’t had any fun  _ at all _ .” She laughed and rolled her eyes. “But, yeah, she just wanted to hook up with a guy from her chemistry class and probably wanted to walk in with a friend so it didn’t seem like that was the goal. Looks like she’s completing it though.”

She nods at a couple kissing in the darkness a few feet away from them.

The boy laughed, “Oh yeah? Check out Red and Ashlyn over there on the deck.” He pointed at a couple in the distance who she could make out disappearing indoors and up the stairs of the house.

“How do people just do that?” Nini mused.

“Aren’t you a biology major?” Ricky joked, quirking a brow.

Nini choked, laughing on the sip she had just taken. “No, I’m just taking it for my science credit. I’m a music major. Also, I know how it works literally. I just meant, how do people just go for things like that. Not even just  _ that _ necessarily, just for anything. It takes me so much effort to even get the courage to speak up in class, much less be that forward with any human being.”

**Him:**

Ricky took in the girl sitting next to him, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol and hair moving lightly in the wind. Her drink was dangling in her small fingers and she was looking thoughtfully at all the couples in front of them. 

He cleared his throat, “I understand completely.” Nini looked at him at that, and his breath hitched in his throat seeing her beauty in full force. He forged ahead, “But, you know, you didn’t do too bad with me tonight? I wouldn’t have had the guts to talk to you, even if my friend had made me.”

She laughed, and it sounded like music to his ears. “Yeah, I don’t know what came over me tonight. That was a first for me. Probably this.” She lifted her drink, “Liquid courage.”

He glanced at his own drink, “Yeah.” He muttered, downing the rest of it, and feeling his senses numb further. He got up off the table and reached a hand out to the beautiful girl sitting in front of him. “Shall we?”

She seemed to think for a second, looking at him, then tipped her head back with the rest of her own alcohol. She took his hand to hop off the table, and wrapped her arms around his neck, “What the hell, right?” She whispered, her breath hot on his, and she kissed him.


	3. i need a man

iii. _i_ _need a man that thinks it right when it's so wrong_

_Tonight, yeah baby, tonight, yeah baby_

**Her:**

Nini's hands were caught in Ricky's hair, tangling the already messy curls, tugging to pull him closer. She felt his hands tighten around her waist in response, pulling her more flush against him. 

She broke away from the kiss to take a breath, taking the opportunity to kiss down his jawline and neck. 

She felt his chest hitch under her hands, and she smiled into her kisses, before finally pulling away. She knows she must look insane to anyone looking, breathless and red, but she also knows she's never felt so alive.

So, this was the thrill of it then.

She grinned at the boy, who is still looking at her with darkness in his eyes, almost still in shock from how forward the two typically timid teenagers had been.

She intertwined both their hands still dangling between them and whispered in his ear, "C'mon."

 **Him** :

Ricky couldn't believe this was happening. He had barely wanted to be there at the start of the night, and now he never wanted it to end. He wanted Nini's hands in his hair and lips on his for as long as he could have it.

Nini pulled away, and Ricky missed her mouth already...until they were on his jaw...and his neck. Never mind, they could be anywhere she wanted. He felt his breath hitch in his throat, as she gently kissed his pulse point.

He gripped her waist tighter in response, pulling her in as close as he possibly could. But, all of a sudden her lips were gone from his neck and she was just there, grinning at him. She was stunning. He could sacrifice kissing her if he could look at her like this forever.

She leaned towards him again, and he felt the ghost of her lips against him. Okay, maybe he couldn't sacrifice that. 

Ricky suddenly felt her breath, hot against his ear. "C'mon."

All he could do was nod as she laced their fingers together and pulled him back towards the house.


	4. right on the limit

_**iv.** right on the limit's where we know we both belong tonight _

**Her** :

Nini led Ricky back onto the deck and into the house, exchanging looks with a shocked Kourtney who was now whispering and giggling with the boy from her chemistry class, cuddled in a lounge chair by the deck.

_ You go, girl _ , Kourtney had mouthed and Nini chuckled to herself as she pulled Ricky along.

Once they had slid back the glass door to re-enter the house, Nini took Ricky onto the living room's makeshift dance floor, joining the mass of bodies already assembled there.

She moved his intertwined hand to her waist, and his other hand followed suit. She wrapped her arms around his neck and immediately began singing along with the loud music. Ricky followed suit.

Nini couldn't help but beam at the boy in front of her. 

**Him** :

Ricky admired the girl dancing in front of him. She was nothing like how she described herself. He knew she was telling the truth, because he felt nothing like himself either. Not with her.

Everything that night had felt so easy. Yes, they had been downing alcohol any chance they got, but this was so much more than alcohol lowering their inhibitions. He felt free. 

He was drunk on  _ her _ .

Ricky jumped and sang with the girl, and she grinned widely at him. He felt his heart swell in his chest.

He grinned back, and suddenly she was pushed into him by someone dancing too emphatically behind her. He caught her and she just laughed, her hair tickling the side of his face as their bodies were now pressed together, almost closer than when they had been kissing.

Ricky watched as Nini moved her head back to look up at him, her fingers tickling the nape of his neck.

She bit her lip and smiled softly at him, a different smile from before. A knowing one.

She leaned in and pressed one feather light kiss against his lips, and then another, increasing in intensity. And that's where they stayed, kissing and swaying in the middle of the dance floor.

Ricky felt a tap from behind him and heard a shocked iteration of a familiar chuckle.  _ Red. _

"Get a room," the redhead joked under his breath so only Ricky could hear, and Ricky flipped him off, his mouth still latched onto Nini's.

They finally broke apart for air, and were now just slow dancing to the upbeat music with Nini's head on his chest.

"So," Ricky murmured into the top of Nini's head. "What happens next?"

"Maybe we should listen to your friend." Nini smiled, a mischievous glint in her eye.

_ Oh. _

So she had heard him. All thoughts of Ricky killing his best friend abruptly ended as Nini pulled his lips back down to hers.


	5. brush the dangerous

_**v.** It's hot to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous _

_ I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you _

**Her** :

"So…" Nini started as they approached Ricky's dorm room, biting her lip.

"So…" he mimicked, brushing her hair out of her face from the wind on the walk over. Nini took the boy's touch as a cue to take a step closer and she captured his lips in another kiss.

After a few minutes of them kissing, her back up against his door, she felt him pull away and step back.

"Nini," his eyes sparkled. "I gotta open the door, unless you wanna just be out here all night."

Nini laughed and stepped out of the way of the door. She settled instead for kissing Ricky's neck as he fumbled with his keys to open the room to his dorm. 

**_a little earlier_ **

Ricky's phone had pinged right in the middle of their new kisses on the dance floor. Apparently, Red had meant what he said earlier. He had texted Ricky that he was going to crash in Ashlyn's apartment for the night.

Nini had been reading the text from next to him, and a surge of want and elation rose up in her, "So? When are we leaving?"

He looked at her as if he had forgotten she was there, a smirk tugging at his lips, "Now."

Ricky interlocked their fingers together and Nini detoured towards the kitchen. "One more for luck?"

They each took a shot and head out into the night.

The walk over had been so unbelievably sweet. Despite being all over each other most of the night, they returned to the easy banter they had started with. They were both starting to find that their connection went deeper than lust and a simple attraction. 

**Him:**

Ricky felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and he ignored it, wanting to keep kissing Nini for as long as she would let him. 

She tapped the phone in his pocket as she kissed him, and he jumped slightly at the contact.

"Aren't you going to check that?" she asked breathlessly between kisses.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, giving her one more peck and pulling out his phone.

_ crashing with ashlyn. have fun ;) _

"So? When are we leaving?" Ricky didn't realize Nini had been reading as well.

Ricky had never felt so emboldened than with this girl in front of him. "Now." 

He led her off the dance floor, and she pulled him to the kitchen, handing him another shot glass.

He closed his eyes as he drank, feeling the liquid take effect. He set the glass down, and head out of the party with Nini, their fingers interlaced.

They had spoken about anything and everything on the walk to his dorm, and he loved how everything was so easy with her. All the things he's ever wanted to say or do he just  _ could _ , without a second thought or anxiety bubbling up under his skin.

When they reached the door to his room, Nini stood in front of him, a questioning look in her eye. "So..."

"So…" he repeated, tangling both of their hands together. He lifted one hand to brush the strands of hair in her eyes from the walk over.

She nuzzled her face into his hand and stepped forward, grabbing his waist to pull him closer.

And her lips were on his again.  _ Home. _

He unwillingly pulled away after a few minutes, realizing they hadn't made it yet inside the door.

"Nini," he managed. "I gotta open the door unless you wanna just be out here all night."

She laughed, lips pink and eyes sparkling, and stepped out of the way. He fumbled with the keys in his pocket, further distracted by Nini's lips running down his neck.

_ Click. _

He finally managed to get the door open and pulled Nini in, lightly kicking the door closed with his foot.

Without warning, she jumped into his arms, legs wrapped around his waist. From the unexpected force, Ricky toppled onto his bed, bringing Nini with him. 

They both laughed between kisses, finally content in each other's arms.


	6. far in love

_**vi.** where we can both fall far in love _

**Her** :

Nini straddled Ricky, her fingers ghosting the bottom of his shirt. Their lips were still attached, only separating so Nini could lift his shirt over his head. She ran her hands over his chest, feeling his light shudder beneath her.

"Oof!" She laughed, as he flipped her over kissing down her neck and the top of her chest, intertwining their fingers.

He stopped kissing Nini to look at her, as if to ask permission.

She nodded and reached down, pulling her dress off, and grabbing Ricky's neck to bring his face back down next to hers.

He took her signal and resumed kissing her, his hands dancing around her body. She smiled into the kiss, the happiest she had felt in ages.

Nini was glowing. She had just had the best sex of her life, with one of the best guys she had ever met.

She burrowed deeper into his arms. They were now curled up under the covers, her back pressed against his chest. They had briefly lulled into sleep, and Nini was the first to wake up. 

She felt the boy stir behind her, and she shifted in his arms to face him instead. His eyes were still closed and he had a soft smile on his face.

"Mmm, hi," Ricky murmured, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Hi," Nini whispered, not wanting to disturb the peacefulness of the moment.

Ricky pulled her tighter against him, and she laid her head against his arm, tracing shapes lazily on his chest with the tip of her finger.

**Him** :

Ricky could barely wrap his head around any of the events that had happened that night. Even as Nini pulled his shirt over his head, kissing him, he could hardly believe this was real. And it was really happening, in real time.

Ricky internally shook himself out of his thoughts to be in the moment, here with this beautiful girl.

She sat above him, her hair and dress disheveled. Her lids were half-closed, eyelids fluttering against her cheeks as she bent down to kiss him again, running her fingers down his chest as she did so.

Ricky failed in holding back an involuntary shudder, and settled for flipping Nini over as she laughed.

He reached down, hoping to level their states of undress, but paused, searching Nini's face for an answer.

She gave a slight nod in response, and pulled her own dress off. Ricky had hardly registered what had happened, before he felt her hands in his curls once again, pulling his face towards her.

He happily obliged, kissing and vowing to himself to make this girl as happy as he could for as long as he could. As happy as she was making him. 

Ricky woke up to a slight movement in his arms, briefly confused. He relaxed as the earlier night's events flooded back to him. 

Nini had shifted in his arms to face him, and he could see through his lashes, her soft smile while she took him and this moment in.

"Mmm, hi," Ricky kissed the tip of her nose.

"Hi," she responded softly.

She burrowed into him as he pulled her closer, and he felt himself almost lull back to sleep as she gently drew on his chest.

"Nini?" he whispered, before he let sleep take over. "Let's do this again. Not  _ this _ necessarily, but I'd love to take you out for real."

"Absolutely," she kissed his shoulder, and they both fell asleep.


	7. edge of glory

_**vii.** I'm on the edge of glory and I'm hangin' on a moment of truth _

_ Out on the edge of glory and I'm hangin' on a moment with you _

**Her:**

The following weekend, Nini was flitting around her dorm room, looking for her favorite gold hoop earrings.

"Nini," Kourtney tried to get her friend's attention. "Nini, Nini. Nini!"

Nini turned to her friend, her hands still hovering over the jewelry container on her vanity. "What?"

Kourtney dangled out two gold hoops towards her panicking best friend. "They were just on your bedside table. Calm down! Why are you freaking out? This boy already likes you. You haven't stopped talking since after… you know."

Nini wrung her hands, and sat down next to her friend on her bed. "Yeah, but we haven't  _ seen _ each other since then. And we drank a lot that night. We've both established we're awkward people. What if it's not the same?"

"You've been texting all week and have managed to continue a conversation just fine. Sure, it might be a little awkward at first without the alcohol to enable you. But, you'll get there." Kourtney brushed and pinned the side of her friend's hair back. 

Nini sighed and leaned against her friend's touch, finally relaxing. "Thanks Kourt." Nini hugged her friend and got up from her bed, right as there was a knock at the door.

Kourtney shooed her friend out of her room and watched from the doorway as Nini opened the front door. She smiled as Nini hugged the boy and closed the bedroom, to give them their moment alone.

**Him** :

"Dude! You're making me dizzy." Big Red threw a pillow at his friend who was currently pacing the front perimeter of their dorm room.

"Sorry, sorry." Ricky sat down on their futon, checking his phone for the time.

"I know you're a nervous dude. But, I haven't seen you like this...well ever." 

"She's just perfect, you know," Ricky ran his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. "I just know I'm going to clam up and be the same awkward idiot I normally am...especially, around  _ her _ ."

"You won't." Red shook his head. "I have no doubt you're going to continue freaking out until she's in front of you because, well, you're  _ you _ . But, you guys are good together."

Ricky quirked a brow, "And, you know that how? You only saw her when she was attached to my face."

Red rolled his eyes, "Yeah, but I know you. And you would never have opened up in any capacity if you hadn't felt a connection. And I don't know, just gut instincts. You've been happy this week, man."

"Yeah, I have." Ricky smiled.

Shortly after his talk with Red, Ricky knocked on Nini's door and she appeared in front of him. She looked more beautiful than the night they had met.

She immediately leaped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He hugged her back tightly and they broke away, Nini grabbing on to one of his hands.

"So, where are we going?"

"You'll see," he smiled, and the two fell into easy conversation. Ricky forgot why he had been so worried in the first place.

The two of them ended up on the roof of the school library where Ricky had set up a picnic for two.

Nini's eyes lit up as she took it in and Ricky gave himself a mental pat on the back. "This is amazing, Ricky!" She sat down on the blanket, bringing him down next to her.

The two had a wonderful dinner, and had cleared the blanket. They were now lying down, looking up at the stars, Nini curled into Ricky's side and her hand on his heart.

"This has been so perfect. Everything with you has been so perfect." Nini murmured into his chest.

Ricky looked down at her, " _ You're _ perfect."

She shifted up in his arms so she could look at him and smile. She ran one hand through his curls and rested it on his cheek, finally kissing him on the mouth for the first time that night.

And the two fell in deep in the moment. On the edge of something new.


End file.
